UK workers are in for an unusually lucky run of calendar quirks, with both the end of 2026 and the end of 2027 set to deliver a three-day working week.
In each case, the reason is the same: bank holidays that fall on a weekend are replaced by weekday “substitute” bank holidays, compressing the working week and stretching out the break.
The UK will get a 3-day working week at the end of the year
At the end of 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday, so the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December as a substitute day.
New Year’s Day then falls on Friday 1 January, leaving the middle of that week as the only normal working days for many people.
That creates a three-day working week, and anyone who books 29–31 December off can turn it into 10 days away from work.
The UK will also get a three-day working week in 2027
The same trick happens again in 2027, but with an even neater festive setup for many workers.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 December, which means the substitute bank holidays land on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.
New Year’s Day 2028 also falls on a Saturday, triggering a substitute day on Monday 3 January, so the only normal working days in between are Wednesday 29, Thursday 30 and Friday 31 December.
How to maximise your annual leave
For employees in England and Wales who get bank holidays off, both years offer a rare chance to stretch a small amount of leave into a much longer break.
In 2026, three days of annual leave can bridge the gap into a 10-day break, and the same applies in 2027 if you take 29–31 December off.